Originally Posted by
iahphx
As a Globalist on an award stay, we were upgraded to a King Suite room, which was large although by no means luxurious. No noise issues for us, and the neighborhood is largely middle class residential. A majority of the hotel guests seemed to be on bus tours, so this is by no means a luxe property. Breakfast is oddly a la carte -- not sure why they don't just have a buffet -- but they let us order anything we wanted from the continenal menu and then a main course. Food was fine, not exceptional, and was prepared fairly quickly. No other Globalist benefits, except the free cardboard water bottles.
Location is fine for walkers (15-20 minutes to Temple Bar) and about 10-15 minutes to the airport bus (we took Dublin Express to Merchant's Quay -- but you might want to cross the Liffey for a different stop heading back to the airport to save time). Area is reasonably safe, but we did encounter one guy passed out on the street and bleeding (he was being attended to). I am sure there are better hotels location-wise in Dublin. Check out Groupon Ireland if you want to snag a discount dinner voucher in the area (prices in Ireland are now, oddly, more expensive than in the UK). There is also a nearby Lidl, although note liquor prices are much higher in Ireland than on the Continent, so don't bother looking for a couple bottles to throw into your checked suitcase. In general, Dublin always disappoints me a bit -- Ireland seems overhyped in America, but they get lots of tourists so maybe it's me. As a tourist, I think 2 nights would be a max stay, even if staying on points. This isn't London.
As to costs in Ireland, I came across this story, and it corresponds with my experience:
https://www.joe.ie/news/ireland-name...country-776333
I'm tickled to hear the gentrification of the Liberties is such that its considered middle class residential now by visitors! It was one of the roughest areas in Dublin in the 80s & 90s.
To your point on location, I'd suggest people who are looking to make award bookings take a look at Buswells Hotel. Similar-ish vibe to the Centric, though not as new, but the location is better for tourists. If you want to get a sense of the real Dublin (which tbf is what the Centric brand aims to do broadly speaking), then this is the hotel for you. The bar next door is one of the best in the City and Francis Street has a lot of quality cafes and restaurants.
I do tend to agree that Dublin is super expensive right now, I disagree that its moreso than London or Edinburgh, but yeah if you compare it to Manchester or Bristol its far more expensive. I think its important to remember that the 'hype' if its there anymore is moreso for the entire country. There's a lot more to Ireland than Dublin and I would agree that 2-3 nights is plenty. Which to your snide comment on it not being London, of course its not - London is one of the premier tourists destinations in the world, comparable to NYC, Rome, Paris and not too many more. I would have Dublin broadly on a par with Edinburgh when it comes to things to do, pricing and award accommodation options. I'm wondering what you expect from it & where you find it disappointing?